Not-on-file imaging system and processing

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, software, and data structures for product identifier not-on-file imaging system and processing. Some such embodiments include solutions that automate capturing and communicating images of imaged items for which an item identifier (e.g., UPC, DIGIMARC) cannot be located to facilitate correction and updating of product lookup databases to remove inefficiencies and sub-optimal experiences and realization at checkout. One such embodiment in the form of a method includes delivering, to a product pricing update location, an image of an item presented to a product scanner for scanning upon an occurrence of an item-not-on-file event indicating an unsuccessful price lookup database query performed with regard to an item identifier read by the product scanner from the presented item.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Item-not-on-file is a continuous issue at stores when scanning productsat checkout with product scanners. An item-not-on-file event occurs whenan item identifier is scanned, such as from a Universal Product Code(UPC), and is used unsuccessfully to find a price of the item in a pricelookup database. When this occurs, a manual price lookup is commonlyperformed where a store associate goes to the location of the product inthe store to get the listed item price. This can be time consuming andcan delay not only the current customer but also all other customersthat may be in line to checkout. In an effort to save time, a clerk maysimply input a price, but if that price is wrong, the customer may beover or under charged, neither of which is optimal. At the same timehowever, the next time the same product is presented for purchase by thesame or another customer, the same price lookup will fail and triggeranother lengthy, inefficient process or incur more shrinkage for thestore if a low price is input or customer overpayment will occur if theinput price is too high. Current processing of item-not-on-file eventoccurrences is there for inefficient at best and certainly not optimalwhen prices that are either too low or too high are input.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems,methods, software, and data structures for product identifiernot-on-file imaging system and processing. Some such embodiments includesolutions that automate capturing and communicating images of imageditems for which an item identifier (e.g., UPC, DIGIMARC) cannot belocated to facilitate correction and updating of product lookupdatabases to remove inefficiencies and sub-optimal experiences andrealization at checkout.

One such embodiment in the form of a method includes delivering, to aproduct pricing update location, an image of an item presented to aproduct scanner for scanning upon an occurrence of an item-not-on-fileevent indicating an unsuccessful price lookup database query performedwith regard to an item identifier read by the product scanner from thepresented item.

Another method embodiment includes detecting an item-not-on-file eventfor an item presented for scanning and transmitting, via a network to anetwork location for further action, an image of the item presented forscanning and an item identifier read from the presented item.

A further embodiment, in the form of a product scanner, includes atleast one imaging device, an interface device, a processor, and a memorydevice. In such embodiments, the memory stores instructions executableon the processor to perform data processing activities. In someembodiments, the data processing activities include processing an imagecaptured by the at least one imaging device to locate and read an itemidentifier encoded in an indicia included in the image and performing anitem lookup within a price lookup database based on the item identifier.The data processing activities may further include detecting anitem-not-on-file event when the item identifier is not present in theprice lookup database and transmitting, via the interface to a networklocation for further action, the image and the item identifier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a logical block diagram of a system 100 including a scanner,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating components of a scanner 208 that may bedeployed at a checkout station such as a POS terminal, self-serviceterminal (SST), or other kiosk system including a scanner 208, accordingto an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computing device, according to an exampleembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

“Item not-on-file” event occurrences at checkout are a constant headachefor both shoppers and retailers. An “item not-on-file” event occurs whena retail item is scanned, but the point-of-sale (POS) terminal does notknow the item price, because the item's identifier (e.g., UPC, DIGIMARC,etc.) is not on file in the retailer's price lookup (PLU) database.

A somewhat typical situation where this may occur is when a cashierscans an item during checkout. The product scanner may then make a“honk” sound or provide other indicia indicating the item is not in thestore's PLU database. The cashier then calls for another store associateto run a price check, which means the associate scurries through thestore to find the item and get the price advertised or shown in thestore. The store associate then provides the price to the cashier andthe cashier manually enters the price into the POS terminal. With luck,the associate who ran the price check remembers to bring back an extraof the item. The associate then leaves the item on the store pricemanager's desk with a note to fix the problem. The price manager is theperson at the store responsible for maintaining the store's PLUdatabase.

Item not-on-file events reduce checkout efficiency and annoy customers.Such events can also lead to shrinkage issues when the cashier choosesto give the item away or at a low price rather than inconvenience thecustomer with a price check.

The various embodiments herein include solutions that leverage imagingcapabilities of modern product scanners, such as the 7877 and 7879product scanners available from NCR Corporation of Duluth, Ga. Some suchembodiments are in the forms of systems and methods for capturing imagesof not-on-file items in assisted or self-checkout lanes. Some suchsolutions store these images and automatically deliver them to storepersonnel for later action. These solutions may include optionalfeatures to bind the images with barcode metadata, such as a productidentifier, to automatically dispatch a store associate for an immediateprice check, and to cache previous price check results for re-use whenthe item is presented at a later time.

These and other embodiments are described herein with reference to thefigures.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventive subjectmatter may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficientdetail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatstructural, logical, and electrical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the inventive subject matter. Suchembodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to,individually and/or collectively, herein by the term “invention” merelyfor convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope ofthis application to any single invention or inventive concept if morethan one is in fact disclosed.

The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limitedsense, and the scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by theappended claims.

The functions or algorithms described herein are implemented inhardware, software or a combination of software and hardware in oneembodiment. The software comprises computer executable instructionsstored on computer readable media such as memory or other type ofstorage devices. Further, described functions may correspond to modules,which may be software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof.Multiple functions are performed in one or more modules as desired, andthe embodiments described are merely examples. The software is executedon a digital signal processor, ASIC, microprocessor, or other type ofprocessor operating on a system, such as a personal computer, server, arouter, or other device capable of processing data including networkinterconnection devices.

Some embodiments implement the functions in two or more specificinterconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and datasignals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions ofan application-specific integrated circuit. Thus, the exemplary processflow is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

FIG. 1 is a logical block diagram of a system 100 including a scanner,according to an example embodiment. The system 100 is an example ofdeployment in a retail environment, although the various embodimentsherein are also applicable to other environments, such as customerservice kiosks and library checkouts, travel check-in kiosks, amongothers.

The system 100 includes a scanner 102 coupled to a terminal 104. Theterm product scanner is also used herein and is synonymous with the termscanner, as in scanner 102. The scanner 102 may be a product scanner orsimilar scanning device in some embodiments. An example of such ascanner is the REALSCAN 7879 BI-OPTIC IMAGER available from NCRCorporation of Duluth, Ga. Such modern scanners utilize one or morecameras in performing their scanning functions. Some such scanners evenhave four or more cameras included therein. Additional cameras may alsobe coupled to or otherwise be in communication with the scanner 102 orthe terminal 104, such as a camera that may be mounted on a pole on theceiling to provide an overhead view of one or both of the terminal 104and scanner 102 areas. As such, these cameras may be utilized to captureimages of many things including items presented for scanning orweighing, an area around the terminal, a cashier at the terminal 104 ora neighboring terminal, customers at the terminal 104 or in line, andother areas.

The terminal 104 may be a modern cash register serviced by a checkoutclerk or cashier, or it can be a self-checkout terminal or otherSelf-Service Terminal (SST), customer service kiosk, and the like. Insome embodiments, the scanner 102 is coupled, via either wired orwireless connections, to one or more additional cameras, such as cameras106, 108. However, various embodiments may include one camera, three,tour, and even more cameras. In some embodiments, the camera 106 may bepointed in the direction of a customer presenting items to purchase anddocuments to complete a purchase transaction at the terminal 104.Similarly, the camera 108 may be pointed in the direction of a terminal104 clerk. Other cameras, such as cameras integrated within the scanner102 may be directed toward a scan field of the scanner 102 to captureimages of barcodes, watermarks embedded within product packaging (e.g.,DIGIMARC), and the environment around the scanner 102 and terminal 104.

The system 100 also typically includes a network 110 that connects oneor both of the scanner 102 and the terminal 104 to other computingdevices. The other computing devices may include one or more transactionprocessing systems 114, one or more databases 112 that may storetransaction, product, product pricing, and other related data, dependingon the particular embodiment. The network 110 may also provide aconnection to a security video-over-Ethernet storage, viewing, andmonitoring system that receives images and video from the cameras 106,108 and the scanner 102 cameras deployed at the terminal 104.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating components of a scanner 208 that may bedeployed at a checkout station such as a POS terminal, self-serviceterminal (SST), or other kiosk system including a scanner 208, accordingto an example embodiment. It is to be noted that the scanner 208 isshown schematically in greatly simplified form, with example componentsrelevant to understanding various embodiments herein. Note that thescanner 208 may include more or fewer components in some embodiments.

Furthermore, the various components included in the FIG. 2 asillustrated and arranged are provided for illustration purposes only. Itis to be noted that other arrangements with more or fewer components arepossible without departing from the contributions herein.

Moreover, the methods and scanner 208 presented herein and below mayinclude all or some combination of the components described and shown inthe various contexts herein. Further, although the scanner 208 may bepaired with a POS terminal, the scanner 208 may be a standalone elementor an element of other systems, devices, and terminals in otherembodiments. Examples of other terminal-types that may include a scanner208 are SSTs, clerk operated and self-service library checkout stations,time-keeping terminals, and the like. Additionally, although a scanner208 is illustrated in FIG. 2 according to some embodiments, thenon-on-file imaging processing and methods described herein may also beimplemented with regard to images and video streams generated by one ormore other devices, such as stand-alone cameras, such as one or more ofcameras 240, 242 that may be coupled either directly or indirectly viaUSB or a network to the scanner 208.

The methods of some embodiments are programmed as executableinstructions in memory and/or non-transitory computer-readable storagemedia and executed on one or more processors associated with thecomponents and devices herein. For example, some embodiments may bedeployed as firmware present within the scanner 208, such as firmware226. In other embodiments, the in-scanner image sorting and processingfunctions may be deployed as software 230 stored in memory 224 on thescanner 208 or network deployed service accessible by the scanner. Thememory 224 may also store a PLU database that may be a replica of all ora portion of a PLU stored on a network accessible storage device. Inother embodiments, the not-on-file imaging processing and methodsdescribed herein may be performed on a computer controlling a POSterminal to which the scanner 208 is coupled, on a network server, or ona combination of two or more of the scanner 208, the computercontrolling the POS terminal to which the scanner 208 is coupled, andelsewhere.

The scanner 208 may be referred to herein as a product scanner orbarcode scanner as that is the task most commonly associated with suchdevices. During operation, items are placed within a scan field of thescanner 208. One or more imaging devices 218 of the scanner 208, such asone or more cameras, then scan a barcode and information read therefromis communicated to a POS system. The scanning may include capturing animage with one or more of the imaging device(s) 218 and the cameras 240,242 and then processing the image(s) to locate and decode an indicia ofan item identifier. The POS system then uses that data to identify theitem placed within the scan field of the scanner 208, performs a pricelookup in a PLU database and sometimes an additional function, such asan addition of the item to a list of items to be purchased, which may bepresented on the one or more POS displays. The additional function mayalso include identifying a scanned product as a controlled item forwhich an age, identity, and/or address validation must be performed. Amessage may be presented on the one or more POS displays and a messagemay also be sent to the scanner 208 indicating an identification card orother document is to be scanned. Other additional functions may also beperformed in different embodiments.

Of particular note, the additional function may be selected based on aresult of the price lookup. For example, when the price look up is notsuccessful, a not-on-file event occurs and triggers a process in someembodiments to store the image or instruct the user to present the itemagain so a new image can be captured and stored. That stored image maythen be communicated to one or more of a store associate to go find aprice of the product in the store, store a copy of the image and theproduct identifier to a network storage location for later use by apricing manager to update the PLU database, and other functions asdescribed elsewhere herein. When a price is received back at the POSterminal, the price may be input there or received over a network, suchas from a mobile device of the store associate that went to find theprice. That price may then be cached or stored by the PLU database thatmay be local to the scanner and POS terminal, and may even betransmitted over the network to a master PLU database, but marked astemporary and in need of attention by the pricing manager. Regardless,the general concept in some embodiments is to capture at least an imageand item identifier of the presented item for which the not-on-fileevent occurred and automate the storage or dissemination of thatinformation to enable a pricing manager or other personnel to update thePUT database.

The scanner 208 may include one or more scan fields, such as two scanfields of bi-optic scanners that are commonly seen in grocery anddiscount retail outlets. In addition to the imaging devices 218, thescanner 208 may include various other components. The various othercomponents may include an integrated scale 210 such as may be used in agrocery outlet to weigh produce and one or both of a speaker 212 anddisplay lighting 216 to output audio and visual signals such as signalsof (un)successful scans. The scanner 208 may also include scan fieldlighting 220 that may be turned on and off and adjusted based on adetected presence of an item to be scanned. The scan field lighting 220may include one, two, or more different light colors, such as white,red, green, infrared, and possibly others. Additionally, scan fieldlighting 220 may be of variable intensity or brightness in someembodiments and be varied by applying different electric potentials tothe lighting elements or adjusting a number of lighting elements, suchas LEDs that are illuminated.

During typical operation, the scanner 208 is operated according toinstructions executed on a processor 222. The processor 222 may be anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signalprocessor, microprocessor, or other type of processor. The instructionsmay be firmware 226 or software 230 stored in one or more memories 224.The one or more memories 224 may be or include volatile and non-volatilememories, write-protected memories, write-once memories, random accessmemory (RAM), read only memories (ROM), secure memory, and other memoryand data storage types and devices.

The instructions as may be stored in firmware 226 or as software 230 inmemory 224 are executed according configuration settings stored in thememory 224. The configuration settings 228 configure operation of thescanner 208 and the various components therein. For example, theconfiguration settings 228 may configure speaker 212 volume, displaylighting 216 outputs, and scan field lighting 220 brightness. Theconfiguration settings may also configure decoding algorithms of theimaging device(s) 218 and the instructions, one or more communicationprotocols used to communicate data from the scanner 208 to a POS systemor other system via wired or wireless connections, and scale 210operating parameters (e.g., unit of measure as pounds or kilograms). Theconfiguration settings may also configure other settings of theparticular scanner 208 an embodiment may include. In some embodiments,the configuration settings 228 may include a firmware version, asoftware version, and the like. Thus, when a configuration is set orupdated, the setting or updating of the configuration settings 228 mayinclude population and updates of any of the configuration settings 228of a particular embodiment, including an update to firmware and softwarepresent on the scanner.

The scanner 208 may include one or more communication interfaces 214,232 that enable the scanner 208 to communicate via one or both of wiredand wireless connections over a network and with other computingdevices. In some embodiments, the communication interface 232 mayprovide a visualized communication connection on the scanner 208 thatenables the scanner to communicate over a network leveraging networkconnectivity of a terminal or other computing device with which thescanner is paired, such as a POS terminal.

FIG. 3 is a process 300 flow diagram, according to an exampleembodiment. The process 300 is an example of a process that may beperformed upon an occurrence of an NOF event occurrence at a POSterminal. The process is illustrated from a high-level perspective.

The process 300 includes a scanner of a POS terminal 302 capturing animage of a presented item, locating an indicia (e.g., barcode) of anitem identifier therein, and reading the indicia to obtain the itemidentifier. The scanner or POS terminal perform a product lookup in aPLU database based on the item identifier. When the product lookup failsto yield a result, a NOF event occurrence is detected and the scannerissues a BONK 304, which may be an audible sound or other output fromthe scanner or POS terminal 304.

Following the BONK 304 the process 300 includes sending an image 306 ofthe item as captured by one or more imaging devices of the scanner to astore associate 308. The sending of the image 306 may also include otherdata, such as the item identifier. The image 306 and other data may besent via a network to the store associate 308, such as to a mobiledevice carried by the store associate 308. The store associate 308 maythen find the product in the store and enter pricing data into themobile device which is then transmitted back to the scanner or POSterminal 302 as a temporary price 310. Upon receipt by either thescanner or POS terminal 302, the temporary price data may be used in thecurrent transaction for the item, cached thereon for subsequent use withregard to the item, and the image and additional data 320, such as theitem identifier and price data, may be sent to a PLU server 322. The PLUserver 322 maintains the PLU database which may be replicated and cashed324 in whole or in part by the scanner or POS terminal 302. The PLUsever 322 upon receipt of the image and additional data 322 may provide326 it to a price manager 328 of the store. The price manager 328 mayaccept the price as provided by the store associate 308 or update theprice. The verified or corrected price 330 may then be sent back to thePLU server 322 which may then update the cached 324 PLU database datawith regard to the item.

FIG. 4 is a block flow diagram of a method 400, according to an exampleembodiment. The method 400 is a method that may be performed in whole orin part by one or both of a scanner and a POS terminal, among otherdevices.

The method 400 includes detecting 402 a NOF event occurrence andinitiating corrective action. The corrective action may includecapturing 404 images of the NOF item. The images may be captured 404actively by prompting the user via one or more of a visible and audioprompt to place the product within a scan-field of the scanner. A liveview of the scan-field may be presented on a POS terminal display toassist the user. The user may then initiate capturing 404 of the imageor the POS terminal or scanner may determine when an image of suitablequality is ready to be captured. The images may also or alternatively becaptured passively by using an image from which the item identifiergiving rise to the NOF event occurrence was read. In some embodiments,one or more images that are to be used as the captured 404 image(s) arefirst presented to the user on a display of the POS terminal to allowthe user to approve the image(s).

The method 400 may further include obtaining 406 and recording temporarypricing for the not-on-file item, which may also include utilizing apreviously cached temporary price if available. However, the obtaining406 of the temporary pricing data typically includes, at least once toestablish a temporary price, a manual price check request and a manualinputting of the price into the POS terminal or an automated pricegathering process. An automated price gather process may includeautomatically transmitting the captured 404 image of item giving rise tothe NOF event occurrence to a store associate's smart device andsubsequently receiving a price as input by the store associate to use asthe temporary price.

The method 400 may then include an optional data processing activity ofbinding 408 the PLU number and other metadata with the not-on-fileimage(s) for security and later reference purposes. This binding 408 mayinclude embedding one or more of the product identifier, temporarypricing data, and possibly other data in a data structure of thecaptured 404 image as metadata or otherwise including the data when thecaptured 404 image is provided to another process. The captured 404image is then delivered 410, typically with the PLU number, price, andmetadata to a price manager for corrective action. The delivery 410 maybe made as a live notification via one or more of email, text, in-appmobile device messaging, or similarly. Alternatively, or in addition,the delivery may be made in whole or in part by storing the captured 404image and other data in a NOF database or other storage location on aPLU server or other network accessible storage location. The PLU servermay subsequently use the price data as a temporary price for the itemuntil a pricing manager updates the pricing data or until a period foruse of the price expires, such as 24 hours, a week, or other period.

Some embodiments of the method 400 further include managing 412corrective actions in one or more ways. One way of managing 412 thecorrective actions is by the price manager using an existing,non-integrated corrective action system. Another way of managing 412 thecorrection actions is with the price manager reviewing the NOF imagedatabase and using integrated software tools to correct the PLUdatabase.

In some embodiments of the method 400, the PLU server maintains a cacheof previous NOF PLU events. If the NOF PLU is in the cache and meetspre-defined criteria (for example, the price was manually checked withinthe last 24 hours), then the PLU server may provide the cached price tothe POS. The POS may then prompt the cashier in some such embodiments toverify with the customer that the cached price is acceptable. If thecustomer accepts the cached price, then the cached price may be used tocontinue with the transaction, and does not initiate other correctiveaction.

FIG. 5 is a block flow diagram of a method 500, according to an exampleembodiment. The method 500 is a method that may be performed in whole orin part by one or both of a scanner and a POS terminal, among otherdevices.

The method 500 includes delivering 502, to a product pricing updatelocation, an image of an item presented to a product scanner forscanning. The image may be delivered 502 upon an occurrence of anitem-not-on-file event indicating an unsuccessful PLU database queryperformed with regard to an item identifier read by the product scannerfrom the presented item. In some embodiments, the pricing updatelocation to which the image is delivered 502 is a networked data storagelocation to which images of items for which pricing data is to bereviewed in the price lookup database. In other embodiments, the pricingupdate location is an electronic messaging account that provides livenotification of item-not-on-file event occurrences.

In some embodiments, the method 500 further includes receiving an inputprice of the presented item and updating the PLU database. The PLUdatabase may be updated with the item identifier read by the productscanner from the presented item and the received input price with adesignation as a temporary price. In some such embodiments, the method500 also includes transmitting, via a network and upon occurrence of theitem-not-found-event, a price check instruction to a mobile device of astore associate. Receiving the input price of the presented item in suchembodiments may include receiving the input price via the network asinput into the mobile device of the store associate.

In a further embodiment, the method 500 includes receiving an inputprice of the presented item and then adding the item identifier readfrom the presented item and a data representation of the received inputprice to the pricing update location in association with the deliveredimage.

FIG. 6 is a block flow diagram of a method 600, according to an exampleembodiment. The method 600 is a method that may be performed in whole orin part by one or both of a scanner and a POS terminal, among otherdevices.

The method 600 includes detecting 602 an item-not-on-file event for anitem presented for scanning. The method 600 also includes transmitting604, via a network to a network location for further action, an image ofthe item presented for scanning and an item identifier read from thepresented item.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computing device, according to an exampleembodiment. In one embodiment, multiple such computer systems areutilized in a distributed network to implement multiple components in atransaction-based environment. An object-oriented, service-oriented, orother architecture may be used to implement such functions andcommunicate between the multiple systems and components. One examplecomputing device in the form of a computer 710, may include a processingunit 702, memory 704, removable storage 712, and non-removable storage714. Although the example computing device is illustrated and describedas computer 710, the computing device may be in different forms indifferent embodiments. For example, the computing device may instead bea smartphone, a tablet, smartwatch, or other computing device includingthe same or similar elements as illustrated and described with regard toFIG. 7. Devices such as smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches aregenerally collectively referred to as mobile devices. Further, althoughthe various data storage elements are illustrated as part of thecomputer 710, the storage may also or alternatively include cloud-basedstorage accessible via a network, such as the Internet.

Returning to the computer 710, memory 704 may include volatile memory706 and non-volatile memory 708. Computer 710 may include—or have accessto a computing environment that includes a variety of computer-readablemedia, such as volatile memory 706 and non-volatile memory 708,removable storage 712 and non-removable storage 714. Computer storageincludes random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM) and electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memorytechnologies, compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM), Digital VersatileDisks (DVD) or other optical disk storage magnetic cassettes, magnetictape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or anyother medium capable of storing computer-readable instructions.

Computer 710 may include or have access to a computing environment thatincludes input 716, output 718, and a communication connection 720. Theinput 716 may include one or more of a touchscreen, touchpad, mouse,keyboard, camera, one or more device-specific buttons, one or moresensors integrated within or coupled via wired or wireless dataconnections to the computer 710, and other input devices. The computer710 may operate in a networked environment using a communicationconnection 720 to connect to one or more remote computers, such asdatabase servers, web servers, and other computing device. An exampleremote computer may include a personal computer (PC), server, router,network PC, a peer device or other common network node, or the like. Thecommunication connection 720 may be a network interface device such asone or both of an Ethernet card and a wireless card or circuit that maybe connected to a network. The network may include one or more of aLocal Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, andother networks. In some embodiments, the communication connection 720may also or alternatively include a transceiver device, such as aBLUETOOTH® device that enables the computer 710 to wirelessly receivedata from and transmit data to other BLUETOOTH® devices.

Computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium areexecutable by the processing unit 702 of the computer 710. A hard drive(magnetic disk or solid state), CD-ROM, and RAM are some examples ofarticles including a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Forexample, various computer programs 725 or apps, such as one or moreapplications and modules implementing one or more of the methodsillustrated and described herein or an app or application that executeson a mobile device or is accessible via a web browser, may be stored ona non-transitory computer-readable medium.

It will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that variousother changes in the details, material, and arrangements of the partsand method stages which have been described and illustrated in order toexplain the nature of the inventive subject matter may be made withoutdeparting from the principles and scope of the inventive subject matteras expressed in the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: prompting, via one or more of a visible and audio prompt, a user to place an item within a scan-field of a product scanner; presenting, on a point-of-sale (POS) terminal display of a POS terminal, a live view of the scan-field to assist the user; capturing an image of the item presented for scanning by the product scanner of the POS terminal; querying a local copy of a price lookup database unsuccessfully for the presented item in the captured image; detecting an item-not-on-file event at the POS terminal; transmitting, via a network to a network storage location for further action at a later time, the image of the item presented for scanning and an item identifier read from the presented item; receiving an input price of the presented item; caching, in the local copy of the price lookup database on the POS terminal, the received input price as a temporary price with regard to the presented item for use in subsequent item-not-on-file events for the same item until an update to the price lookup database with regard to the item identifier is received, the caching of the received input price includes updating the local copy of the price lookup database with: the item identifier read by the product scanner from the presented item; and the received input price; and wherein the received input price is to be used in subsequent pricing lookups for the item until the update to the price lookup database with regard to the item identifier is received, manually checking the received input price within an immediately prior 24-hour period, and providing to the POS terminal the received input price in a cache.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the image of the item presented for scanning and the item identifier for further action includes: transmitting, via the network, a price check instruction to a mobile device of a store associate; and wherein receiving the input price of the presented item includes receiving the input price via the network as input into the mobile device of the store associate.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: including the received input price in data transmitted over the network with the image.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the received input price and the item identifier are included with the transmitted image as image metadata. 